Shingle



May 27, 1952 Filed Sept. 9. 1949 J. R. BROWN ET AL SHINGLE 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 INVENTO R5 JOHN/e. BROWN ATTO RN EYS May 27, 1952 J. R. BROWN ET AL SHINGLE Filed Sept. 9, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 99 7t QL @ms INVENTO R JOHN KBEOWN ATTO R N EY5 Patented May 27, 1952 SHINGLE John R. Brown, Woodmont, and Clinton ;I. Read, Stratford, Conn., assignors to Tilo Roofing Company, .Inc., Stratford, 1Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1949, SeriaLNo. $114,782

(Cl. l087) 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved shingle of the flexible type, and more .in particularto an improved construction of :such shingles wherein, after having been laid on a roof or siding of a home, warehouse, or other buildings, they will not be torn by reason of the ordinary and extra ordinary fiuxations of the weather elements, like heavy winds and gales.

The invention further pertains to an improved construction of flexible shingles which provides fora relatively small or limited movement in a predetermined direction of the free or weather end of a shingle, thus preventing tearing of the shingle. The invention further pertains to an improved distribution of forces tending to tear all or partially, the shingles from their laid positions. With the improvement herein, the life tenure of the shingles in operation is greatly lengthened while still maintaining the shingle as originally designed for satisfactory, weatherproofing functions.

One of the features of this invention is to incorporate in the structures of shingles, known as the asphalt type shingle, additional or recesses or openings of specific outlines and having the recesses formed in the shingle in particular positions whereby the shingle resists being torn under bad or gale weather conditions.

Another feature of this improved invention is to so design the added openings or recesses and construct the shingles with these openings specifically placed or positioned so that any two cooperating portions of the shingles after being laid will function without tearing during adverse weather conditions.

Another feature of this invention is the provisionof a novel construction of a flexible shingle which has assembly positioning indicators, and which has tabs that interlock with the shingles of the adjacent course or layer, and which has definite outlined cut-away supplemental recesses and notch type cutouts all particularly positioned so as to prevent tearing of the shingle tabs when high speeds of air pass over the shingles as laid on the roof or sidings.

In considering the structure of the shingle, the tabs may be referred to as wings or ears or extensions for interlocking purposes. In addition,

the recesses above mentioned may also be re-" ferred to as slits or slots or openings or notches,

as formed inthe shingles.

In general, the invention provides for an improved composition shingle of the rhombus form adapted to be laid with one corner to the weather and having the anchoring tabs engaging shingles i I in the adjacent lower courses.

These improved anchoring tabs and the various type of recesses, both main and supplemental recesses, and notches, are all provided to permit novel assembly of the shingles on the roofs and sidings so as to prevent the tearing of these tabs by reason of pulling forces developed by high speed winds, such as gales, passing over the shingles. With the improved structure herein, the forces which have a tendency to tear the tabs are distributed at four or six points and thus the forces which ordinarily would tear the tabs are greatly reduced in value at any one point that they are less than the forces required to tear a shingle'of this type.

It is to be understood that there may be one or more of these anchoring tabs employed on each shingle and that the tabs may be -of;any particular shape, so long as they function to engage the shingles of the lower adjacent course. It is preferred that the tabs be formed :in shingles of, the rhombus type and that usually the tabs come within the outside outline of the shingles.

One of the main features of the invention is the provision of an improved design of shingle with anchoring tabs which have various recesses and notches therein that will allow the free or exposed end :of the shingle to have a limited movement before it is stopped or locked against further movement by positively engaging the shingles in the adjacent course. This improved design provides for the distribution of the outward pulling forces developed by high winds so that the actual forces on thetabs themselves when locked against further movement are not sufficient to tear.

Wind tunnel tests of air speeds up to 92 miles per hour have been made on the improved shingles of the type herein with one corner laid to the weather and having improved means for anchoring this weather exposed end of the shingle.

The results of these wind tunnel tests show that there is a negative pressure or vacuum created over the shingles tending to pull them away from the roof. This pull will be hereinafter termed a load on the shingle. Various pitot tube measurements during the tests did show the positions of greater or less negative pressures. The negative pressures are largely produced in proportion to the air velocity.

From these tests and with particular reference to the prior class of interlocking shingles where there was no predetermined allowable free" movement by having the tabs held in fixed and unmovable position, it has been observed that as the velocity of the air is slowly increased, a slight perceptible bulging or outward deformation of the shingle occurs. As the air velocity still further increases, resulting in larger or greater load, the bulging force becomes greater and greater until a final amount of bulging occurs, whereupon, further increase in air velocity causes no further outward or upward deformation. ,As. air velocity continues to increase, a point is reached cent shingles.

where the tabs are torn from the body of the shingle, or pulled from their interlocking position. In the case of such rigidly fixed interlocking shingles with no allowable limited movement, the amount of this bulging or upward deformation,

is largely dependent upon the elastic and flexible j properties of the shingle.

However, when the principles of this invention were incorporated in the design of the interlocking shingle permitting a slight but definite degree of "free movement of the locking tabs, much greater air velocities were tolerated without damage to the locking tabs or the withdrawing of them from their locked position. Actually in a wind tunnel test with one of the improved forms of interlocking shingles arranged to provide slight movement of the tabs, though substantial amount of bulging occurred, the shingles were subjected to the maximum wind tunnel velocity of 92 miles per hour without tearing the tabs or withdrawing them from their locked position with adja- During the course of this experiment, it was observed that at about 60 miles per hour the center of the shingle had been deformed outward or upwards from the roof about 1'' due to the movement permitted, and remained in this position throughout the balance of the test. Through the application of engineering principles this phenomenon has been found to be due to a substantial reduction in internal stress in the shingle and to a redistribution of the distorting forces, thereby reducing these forces at any one point.

By reason of these tests and the considerations of the various forces, an improved design of shingle has been provided wherein there is allowed a limited movement of the weather end of the shingle before being locked against further movement. Also, these tests taught the advisability of providing supplemental recesses or slots and additional notches specifically placed 'where by a limited movement of the weather end of the shingle is allowed before this weather end becomes locked against further movement. The forces or loads created by the negative pressure on the shingles by reason of gale weather or otherwise, are distributed so that the actual pulling forces on the tabs after they have had the limited or preliminary movement, are reduced to such an extent that they will not tear the tabs from the main body of the shingle. These supplemental recesses and additional notches, and the like, are formed in each shingle body in a preferred manner so that the axes of each of these supplemental recesses or notches bear a very definite relation to lines joining some of the fastening means or nails which hold the shingle to the'roof. For instance, if a line is drawn between the two lower fastening means or nails holding each shingle to the roof, then the axes of the supplemental recesses at the bottoms of the main recesses forming the tabs are positioned to be substantially perpendicular to the line between the two nails.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an improved shingle in which the internal stresses in the shingle, particularly at the locking tabs, will be distributed and reduced and minimized so as to prevent the wind loads from scription below when considered in connection with the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an improved shingle of the flexible type including the several features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a rhombus type shingle which includes one of the features of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of another form of flexible shingle which includes some of the features of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of two laid courses of the improved designed and constructed shingles and showing the cooperation of the shingles in one course with those in an adjacent course;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of one of the shingles shown in Fig. 4 after deflection caused by wind load;

Fig. 6 is a graphical stress diagram representing the reduced intensity of internal stresses of the improved shingle illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a graphical stress diagram derived from space diagram Fig. 11, showing a reduced tearing force affecting any of the improved shingles in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a series of shingles without the improvements and laid as the shingles in Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, after deflection caused by wind load;

Fig. 10 is a graphical stress diagram representing excessive stresses in the prior shingles illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a space diagram showing in conjunction with graphical stress diagram Fig. 7, a relatively large tearing force developed in the shingle assembly of Fig. 8;

Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 illustrate different types of slits and recesses which are formed in the improved shingles illustrated in Fig. 4 and the cut-away portions or recesses are shown in different contours desirable for shingles applied to a roof and to reduce tearing forces when the load line may take one of any of th directions of the axes of the contours of the recesses.

Referring now to these drawings, the improved shingle 26 includes the several features of the invention as applied to a substantially diamond shaped flexible asphalt type shingle. This shingle is provided with the tabs 21 and 28 as formed from the body of the original shingle, and provides main recesses 29 and 36 between the tabs and the body. In addition, the design of the new shingle provides for supplemental recesses 3i and 32, preferably formed at or near the bottoms of the main recesses 29 and 30. Other types of recesses or notches 34 and 35 are formed in the sides of the shingle in which the tabs are formed. Preferably, these notches 34 and 35 are located or formed near the corners of the shingle which are adjacent to the corner where the tabs 2! and 28 are formed. In addition, the shingle is designed to have locating or indicating marks 31 and 38 preferably at or near :55 --ments .and functions of this type of shingleare the same .as thoseof the Shingle in ,Fi 1- li i wise, the shingle .40 shown in ig; 3 i a mitate type of shingle, and is provided with supplemental recesses 3;! and ,32 and. with notches 34. and 35 s that this-typeor design may be properl lo ked with adjacent shingles in the next lower .oQllifie.

Thus, it will be noted the improvements in. the

diamond shaped shingle may be readily incorporated in other designs of shingles.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown a p01- tion of assembled shingles on a roof in :thre courses. :Shingles .45, .411 and :48 are :laid in one course and shingles .49 and 59 are :two of the shingles in the next higher course, and shingle .5! is illustrated as one of the shingles in the still higher course. This assembly in Fig. 4 illustrates the cooperation of shingles with the improvements of this invention incorporated in each. it will be noted that shingletl-fi is fastened to the roof by nail 5-2, and shingle 41 is fastened to the roof by nails 53, 54, 55 and .51. Often times instead of employing two fastening means as nails 54 and 56, one fastening means 58 at this point may be substituted. It will be further noted that shingles 49 and 50 are fastened in position by nails 59, 60,6! and 62. It will be noted that tabs 2'! and 28 of shingle 49 interlock under shingles 46 and 41. In so assembling shingles 4.9 and 50, the supplemental recesses 31 and 32 preferably cooperate and align with notches 34 and 35 and leave a total distance of approximating /8 between the bottoms of the notches and the "bottoms of the supplemental recesses. This distance or space allows the free or weather end ofshingle 49 to move upwardly a predetermined limited distance before the bottoms of supplemental recesses 31 and 32 definitely engage the bottomsof notches 34and 35 in shingles 46 and 41 and are then looked against further upward movement. As noted before, the upward movement is developed by the negative pressure load on shingle 49 which causes it to bulge asindicated in Fig. 5. Such a'load also develops in theother shingles when the roof or siding is being subj ected to winds of high intensity.

Inthe laying of a roof or siding with the improved design shingle in its several courses, each shingle will have an exposed weather end. It will be noted in reference to the laying of shingles 49 and 50 that there is the fastening means or nails 59, 60, GI and 62 at thethree'corners. As negative pressure or load develops by passage of high wind and creates a load force indicated by the arrows 66 in Fig. 5, it pulls the shingle against the resisting nails 59, -60, BI and 62 with a directional force indicated by arrow 61. As this force vB6 increases, the weather end of the shingle will move through its limited movement and then be locked in position to the adjacent shingles in the next lower course and the locking tabs will then accept their portions of the load 66 and act in the opposite direction in accordance with force arrow 68 to help resist theload pull. When this interlocking takes place each shingle may be considered to have a four.- point distribution of the load 66. However, a s-reatide l .of this load is ri inally taken unan absorbed by hai s 5 69. 61 a d 6 so that when the looking tabs are locked in position and ac- .cept their part of the "load, there previously has been such a distribution of the load that the force a ains t e ta 2 a d is relat vely a is le s than a force re i d to tea t re 9i shingle t wi l he that when .rointsunrortto rece ye an re st he b na ls 16. ndfil subs tut d b a s ngle ha like 58, that there is a very definite type c is another reason why the tearing forces against tabs Z1.and:28 ar e reduced.

.. movement.

.Shingle 5! and the shingles in itsv course coop- .erate with shingles 4B and50 in the same manner as the description in regard to the cooperation of shingle 49 with shingles :46 and :4]. In this instance where the weather end is free to .move there is a so-called determinate structure made up .of only three fastening points at the startof .the .load and the fourth resisting member :or point comes into operation only after la -predetermined limited movement .and the tabs are brought into locked position. "With this situation, distribution of the load becomes .proportional .to the elongation or stretch in the shingle over the three corners at the beginning and then the fourth corner takes its relatively small proportional part. of the load.

In order to bring out compared values of the improvements in this newly designed shingle, reference -;is made to Fig. 8 where th old type of shingle assembly is shown with the bottoms of main recesses :29 and 30 of shingle [0 actually engaging shingles H and 12. It will be noted here i no r e movement o th ea h en 9i shi le "wa d wh n a we ther 10 d1l?. 'F actua bulges t e hin le the r istance to the load is immediately distributed betwee th abs Hand 1.5 and nails 7",. 19 andlil Th forceis then substantiallyequalized and the tabs .14 a d 5 a e subjected to or s which n .a great many n tance are g ater than iorc s required to .teara shingle. If these forces of load 13 are .too strong, then they will tear the tabs 14 and 15 at their juncturewith the main body of the shingle or they will pull the tabs out from unde m ne-lees 1 and 72- h amount o bu f the s in 10 F g s llustra edin amti to the bulge shown in Fig. 5 with the same load in each case, but this bulge in Fig. 9 is due to the stretching of the internal structure of the shingle and to any tearing of the tabs 14 and 15. There is no free predetermined "length of movement of the tabs before being locked against further Tabs 14 and 15 are locked against movement at the time of being laid on the roof or siding.

Thus, it will be seen that with the improved shingle the distribution of load forces as actually applied to tabs 21 and 28 of Figs. 1 and 4, are below the forces required to tear a shingle, whil the forc s o lo d 13 on tabs 14 a d .5 of shingle 10 in Fig. 8 are usually greater than the forces required to tear a shingle.

With this type of assembly as noted in Fig. 8, and the load immediately distributed to the four corners, the shingle then becomes a so.-calle d de e mina st ucture and only th re h f the iht rnal structur e of th sh develop between the four fastening points or members.

The value of the improved design of shingle herein is graphically shown by the stress diagrams, illustrated in Fig. 6 for the assembly of Fig. 4, and in Fig. 10 for the prior type of shingle assembly as noted in Fig. 8. The ratios of the lengths of the chords are in proportion to the stresses. It will also be noted that the amount of shingle deflections shown in Figs. 5 and 9 are exaggerated somewhat to show their difierences. However, the difierences between the deflections results in a large reduction of tearing stress on tabs 21 and 28 as assembled in Fig. 4.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 6 and 10, the loads 66 and 13 noted in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 9, are the same, and are diagrammed by the line 868'I for assembly in Fig. 4 and also by the same numbers in Fig. 9, for the assembly in Fig. 8. The distribution of load forces on tabs 21 and 28 for assembly in Fig. 4, are shown by line 88-'-89, and by line 90-91 in Fig. 10 for the assembly of shingles in Fig. 8. It will be noted that the line 88-89 is considerably less than the line 90-91 and this reduction is mainly due to the predetermined limited movement of the tabs in the supplemental recesses.

In order to show the mathematical differences in the tearing forces, reference is now made to Fig. 11, and it will be explained in connection 5 with the assemblies shown in Figs. 4 and 8, commenting first on the forces of Fig. 8. Take for example the case of a specific shingle shown where the distance from the load 13 for Fig. 9 and 66 for Fig. 5 to the point of contact of the lock is about 8.5" in actual construction of the shingle. This is shown on the diagrammatic sketch of Fig. 11 as line 969l. Consider first, the case of no movement in a supplemental recess, Fig. 8, and assume because of the upward or outward thrust of the loads and the elastic properties of the shingle, it is stretched about 5 or about 0.031", represented by line 9698.

Consider next, the case of the movement of in the supplemental recesses (assembly in Fig. 4)

and as represented in Fig. 11 by distance 96-49, there is a corresponding stretching of the shingle by 0.031". The shingle is then represented by line 99-400 and its corresponding deflection by the line 91-400. This results in a substantially less acute angle of deflected shingle with the under roof surface. The tearing force is then in ratio of cotangents of the included angle or Without movement (Fig. 8):

Cotangent of angle whose cosine is is equal to 11.7050

With movement (Fig. 4)

cotangent of angle whose cosine is is equal to 5.1566

8 ment, by the line 32-403, equal 5.85" and the tearing force with the limited movement of the weather end of the shingle by line I02l04 equal 2.579", or ratio of 0.4405.

Thus, it will be noted that when the improved type of shingle is employed and a predetermined limited movement of the weather end of the shingle is available, the tearing force is greatly minimized.

In incorporating the features of this invention in the shingle, it has been found that the axes of the supplemental recesses should bear a definite relationship to the fastening means or nails and particularly to nails nearest the supplemental recesses. It has been found during the tests that the axes of the supplemental recesses best serve the purpose of reducing tear of the tabs by being substantially perpendicular to a line drawn between the two nearest fastening nails, such as between nails 59 and 62 on shingles 49 and 58, Fig. 4. With the axes of the supplemental recesses perpendicular to the line between the two nails, it will be noted that the axes in these supplemental recesses are at angles to the axes of the main recesses 29 and 30. It may also be said the axes of the supplemental recesses 3| and 32 are parallel with a line passing through the opposite ends of the shingle 49, one of the ends being where the tabs 21 and 28 are formed. By so forming the axes of the supplemental recesses, there is less likelihood of the tabs being bound against movement through the predetermined limited distance. In the event of using a single tab in the place of two, then the axis of a supplemental recess may be at a slight angle from the above mentioned perpendicular to a line between holding means 59 and 62.

In the laying of the shingles on a roof or on a siding, it has been found from experience that the location of the fastening means or nails 59, 60, 6| and62 are very satisfactory as noted in the drawing. However, for certain purposes the nails may be positioned differently, and in that case, the means for resisting the load force may vary and the line between the two 'nails holding means to the weather end of the shingle may not necessarily be perpenricular to the axis of one or more supplemental recesses. However, the axis of the supplemental recess will be at angles to the main recesses.

The types of slits or notches or specially designed recesses are to be noted in Figs. 12 to 17, wherein a slit I86, Fig. 12, may be employed for an interlocking purpose or may be employed for location purposes when laying the shingles. Recess Illl of Fig. 13 is sufficiently wide to allow a predetermined movement of the weather end of the shingle so that the tabs are not required to take too much of the force of the load. The circular recess formation I 08 in Fig. 4 also allows relative movement in most any direction. The recesses I09 and H0 of Figs. 15 and 16 are of different structures and have their axes arranged at different angles to the body of the shingle. Recess l H of Fig. 17 may be employed to cooperate with a like recess in another shingle and may be positioned as desired. Recesses I09 and H0 may be used as notches 34 and 35, depending upon the type and structure of shingle.

It will be noted from the foregoing description that the improved shingle herein permits a definite movement of the weather end of the shingle while the wind load is starting and increasing. As this load increases, the weather end of the shingle freely moves for a predetermined 

